image by Fahd Vahidy

We are writing with an invitation to you – to each of us in our CLP alumni community.

As you already know, many entities across the U.S. and the world have created and shared their statements of solidarity. Speaking up, speaking out – for justice, fairness, health of all kinds.

We are inviting you – all 574 of us alumni from 30 cohorts so far – to share yours. And in sharing yours, to co-create CLP’s. 

CLP is what we make of it. CLP is us. CLP is shaped by how we show up, what we say, what we do, which values we lead and act with, with whom (and how) we work and plan and play and mourn and celebrate.

We are witnesses to history in the making. Some moments are newly-illuminating certain struggles; other moments are continuing centuries-old movements for justice, belonging, human dignity, and genuine equality. 

We are witnesses to the most recent manifestations of persistent and systemic racism in the continued killings of black and brown lives. 

We are witnesses to a global pandemic and its impact, including disparate negative consequences on communities of color. We are witnesses to fragile and unjust systems that disproportionately impact the poor.

And, we are witnesses to courageous leadership, thoughtful action and profound compassion. We are witnesses to unapologetic truth-telling and deep listening. Deconstructing systems of oppression. Local and global movements led and re-energized by black and brown youth, organizers, activists and allies. 

We are witnesses to the undaunted efforts of health care providers and essential workers, on the multiple front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The story of Now is being created. What we imagine individually and collectively – what is possible – is expanding.

What is your statement? How are you showing up? How will you show up? What commitments are you living or evolving into right now? 10 words or 100, please share with us in the Responses section below. 

This is the first entirely open blog entry for CLP alumni. We invite and encourage you to grow the content by participating in it as you are called to do so. We’ll leave it open. (Note: responses are able to be edited by the author after posting.)

In solidarity & community,

-Lara Herscovitch (Cohort 10) and Fahd Vahidy (Cohort 7)

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